North East Section District of Columbia

A St., just East of s. e. corner of 1St and A Sts., N. E.- Second Tunnicliffe Tavern. – In 1794 Mr. Tunnicliffe, proprietor of the Eastern Branch Hotel, with George Walker erected a hotel on this site, called Washington City Hotel, management of Tunnicliffe 1794-1804.

East Capitol St., north side, East of 1St St., N. E. – Rev. George Ralph, rector of Christ Episcopal Church, purchased for $2,400, from the Commissioners, a house located here, occupied by Mr. Hallett, where he opened in 1795 a day and boarding school, one of the early private schools.

East Capitol St., north side, near 1St St., N. E. – Here was once the home of Lund Washington, Jr., son of Steward of Gen. Washington at Mt. Vernon. He was appointed Postmaster in 1796 and established the post office in this house.

East Capitol St., between 1St and 2nd Sts, N. E. – On February 1St, 1813, Capitol Hill Market was opened here in center of Street. Lafayette, in his triumphal visit in 1824, was escorted to Capitol by way of this market place, where every Stand was profusely decorated. An arch spanned East Capitol St, and school children crowded the line of march, singing and Strewing flowers in welcome.

21-23-25 1St St., N. E. – “The Brick Capitol” erected in 6 months for temporary head-quarters of the Government in 1815, and occupied by Congress during reconstruction of Capitol (after its burning by British). Pres. Monroe inaugurated on temporary Stand in front of this place in 1817. Here spoke Statesmen, Henry Clay, Daniel Web-Ster, John C. Calhoun, Andrew Jackson, Thomas Benton and John Randolph. Later used as hotel and J. C. Calhoun died here in 1850. During Civil War called Capitol Prison and many notorious persons con-fined here during the period, including Mrs. Surratt. Capt. Wirz, commander of Andersonville Prison executed here. Afterwards made into private residences, in one of which lived Justice Stephen J. Field. Now property of “National Woman’s Party,” the gift of Mrs. O. H. P. Belmont.

Delaware Ave, East side, between B and C Sts., N. E. – Site of house erected by Daniel Carroll in 1800, in which Circuit Court was held in 1814. It remained Standing until 1904; now Senate Office Building.

2nd St and Maryland Ave., N. W. corner, N. E. – On the lot to the west Stood home of Robert Sewall, from the garden of which a shot was fired killing the horse of Gen. Ross (British) Aug. 24, 1814. This was the only firing against the British immediately following Bladensburg and this act led to burning of house.

Delaware Ave., between B and C Sts, N. E – Site of home of Judge Wm. Cranch, first head of the District Circuit Court, 1801-1835, appointed by Pres. Thomas Jefferson. He moved from Alexandria to Washington in 1825. Married Miss Nancy Greenleaf, sister of James Greenleaf.

1St St and C St., N. E. corner, N. E. – James Greenleaf built a house on this site in 1831 and lived and died here.

2nd St., corner B St., N. E. – Site of home of Walter Jones, celebrated attorney, commissioned by Pres. Monroe Brig. General of Militia. Rode in a barouche with Gen. Lafayette in 1824.

East Capitol and 11th Sts., N. E. – Lincoln Park, one mile East of Capitol. When city was laid out it was planned, according to custom of other nations at the time, to locate a primary meridian here for recording surveys, etc. Maj. L’Enfant planned to place first meridian here, one mile East of Capitol and indicated on his map the spot which is now covered by the Emancipation Statue of Lincoln. This plan was not adopted.

F St. extension, N. E. just beyond Eastern boundary – Federal Spring, one of the large natural springs of city. Also known as Young’s and Stoddert’s Spring. Used for fire protection in early days. Artificial ice plant later erected here.

Florida Ave. and M St., end of 8th St., N. E. – “Kendall Green.” Amos Kendall, early Washington journalist, came here in 1829; became Postmaster-Gen. under Jackson and published “Kendall’s Expositor.” Was associated with Prof. Morse in promoting the telegraph, and made thereby a fortune. He founded Columbia Institution for the Deaf and Dumb in 1857 and gave a house and two acres of ground. This institution now called Gallaudet College after Dr. Edward M. Gallaudet, first principal.

7th St., north end, N. E. – Site of “Brentwood,” mansion house erected by Latrobe for Robert Brent (first Mayor of Washington), finished in 1821, but not in time to be occupied by this famous man, who died in 1819 and was buried here in family vault on grounds. His daughter, Eleanor, wife of Joseph Pearson, representative from N. C, became its owner. Social height reached when home of Elizabeth Pearson, famous belle of ante-bellum days, who married Capt. Carlisle Patterson.

T St., between 2nd and 4th Sts., N. E- “Eckington,” country estate of Joseph Gales, editor of the “National Intelligencer,” was built in 1830. Named for family birth-place near Sheffield, Eng. Mr. Gales was Mayor of Washington in 1827. His paper (1801-16) was official organ of the Adams, Jefferson, Madison and Monroe administrations. He, with others, improved the Rockville-Washington Turnpike, now National Highway (now protected by D. A. R.) Now home of Washington College.

North Capitol St., S. E. of Soldiers’ Home-Clover Hill Farm, home in 1809 of Dr. Phineas Bradley of the P. O. Dept., now incorporated in Glenwood Cemetery.

Michigan Ave., and Harewood road, near Brookland – Catholic University, a national institution of higher learning established by all the Catholic bishops of the U. S., in the Third Plenary Council of Baltimore under Pope Leo XIII. Erected in 18S9. On grounds is large yellow brick mansion occupied for 22 years by Paulist Fathers. Was formerly ” Sidney,’ country seat of Mr. Samuel H and Mrs. Margaret Bayard Smith (the latter an early historian of the city.). Michigan Ave., N. E. – Trinity College, Catholic institution for young women.

Franciscan Monastery, Brookland, D. C. Near Catholic University with which it is affiliated. Dedicated 1899, and in charge of Franciscan Friars. Here are found facsimiles of grotto of the Annunciation, and replicas of other sacred spots in Pales-tine, as preserved by the Church.

West of Bladensburg road and north of N St., N. E. – Mt. Olivet Cemetery, incorporated in 1862 in the name of the parish priests of four Roman Catholic Churches in Washington. Here are buried many not-able people including Father Matthews of St. Patrick’s Church, and Gen. Rosecrans, killed at Murfriesboro in 1862,

3rd and A Sts., N. E. – Waugh Chapel (Methodist Episcopal), one of the old churches in the Northeast, erected in 1854.

S St., between North Capitol St. and 1St St., N. E- Residence of Commissioner Hines, built about 1850; during Civil War used as hospital.

48 B St., N. E.- Here lived Richard Hovey, the poet.

Bladensburg road, N. E., – Graceland Cemetery-Founded in 1872. Two miles farther East is situated the Reform School of the District, established in Georgetown in 1866 and removed to present site in 1871.

Notes About Book:

Book Source: Historical Directory of the District of Columbia, District Of Columbia, D. A. R.

Notes about Online Publication: This manuscript has been ocr’d and edited. These records have been reproduced as clearly as online publication will allow us, but not all are exactly the way they were in the original work. The structure of this manuscript has been changed to allow better online presentation. No Spelling changes have been made to names.